The Rainbow Factory - Where Dreams Come True
by When-The-Cicadas-Die
Summary: In a twisted world where friendships are falling apart, Scootaloo's only hope of hanging onto her two best friends and the memories of their time as Crusaders is to push herself to the very limit. She is amongst the fifty ponies who are accepted into Rainbow Factory, a newly built arena where pegasi can better themselves and discover their true talents... Or so she believes.


_**A/N: Hello hello, people! I've returned from writer's block with the prologue of a story I started maaany years ago. I started this five years ago, in fact! Naturally, it was a very poor attempt since I was about 14. I got some inspiration out of nowhere and decided to try and rewrite the original piece. I decided to start off small with the prologue. Who knows, I may be able to push myself to rewrite the old version and even finish it – since the old one was never complete. Anyway! Enough rambling. Please, do enjoy, and feel free to leave any feedback.**_

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 **The Rainbow Factory: Where Dreams Come True**

 **Prologue – The Future Starts Now**

A family of three ponies are cramped together in a small living room. These days, every family is expected to thrive in a tiny apartment, with only three or four necessary rooms. The youngest member of the family, a sweet little girl who was born eight years ago amidst the chaos, sleeps peacefully next to her mother. She hasn't a care in the world; she is a pure soul, who knows nothing of the pain of being outside.

The mother allows a shaky sigh to pass her lips. Her hoof delicately strokes her daughter's silky mane, as she moves her glance towards the closed curtains. The living room is dimly lit with the least expensive energy-saving bulb the family could afford. If the curtains were to be opened, there would not be much of a difference in lighting. The family knows this. Not that the amount of light matters. They're too scared to leave the curtains open, anyway.

A rumble of thunder can be heard in the distance. The young pony stirs in her sleep, but her mother is quick to comfort the mumbling child. The father peers up from his newspaper to look at the curtains. He slowly shakes his head, closing the newspaper in his hooves and tossing it over to the small table.

' **Breaking News: Factory Contribution Becomes Mandatory For Ponies Ages 15 and Up! Effective immediately: 5** **th** **April, 20XX.** '

The father looks back to his precious little girl. He has a strong desire to protect her from the evil of the outside world, but with many new laws becoming effective immediately, such control is slipping from his hooves.

With another rumble of thunder, this time louder, the mother quivers in fear. "Oh… darling… I wish this nightmare would end."

The father pushes himself up from his armchair, and trots over to his scared wife. He hops up onto the space beside his daughter, and envelops the two of them in a warm embrace. "I know, dear. We all wish for that."

The weather is particularly dull today. The skies are grey; thunder and lightning are in the forecast as usual. However, the family knows… The thunder they hear right now is not natural. It's become very hard to distinguish the natural from the artificial, but the older souls will never forget how things used to be.

With a final crack of thunder, and a blinding flash of lightning, the television in the room magically switches on. The mother gasps in slight shock, still not used to such magic. Televisions have been fitted into every pony's apartment, and they always switch on and off through magic everyday, to give updates of the outside world.

No matter how much one tries, the television cannot be switched off by the ponies living in these apartments. Hijacking the magical current from outside is a high-ranked crime. So, they are simply forced to listen to the news every single day. Some ponies cry… And some cheer, overjoyed by the appearance of their saviours.

When the television screen flicks to life, every pony is greeted by the sight of an office, and a face they know all too well. Sitting in preparation in that office, the location unknown to all, is an orange pony with a short, messy dark pink mane. Her eyes are empty; her expression hardened. She wears a special dark blue uniform, with several prestigious badges pinned to the sides, showing her authority. Her most noticeable features to all are the scars running down her left eye and across her cheek; another being one half-torn, small wing.

"Good afternoon, ponies of Cloudsdale. Curfew has officially been lifted. The skies are clear, and the rainbows are shining brightly on this lovely day." She speaks in a cheerful tone – far too cheerful. But many know that this is almost always put on.

Upon hearing the television, the young pony still in her parents' embrace slowly wakes up. She lets a soft yawn pass her lips, and she lifts a hoof to rub at her sleepy eyes. "Mm… It's noon already…?"

The mother smiles sweetly at her beloved child, forcing herself to wear a happy face as always. She and her husband cannot let their child know that the world is corrupted. She wants to treasure every single day with her baby, before the time comes for her to leave for work. "Yes, darling. Did you sleep well?"

"Mhm," the young girl nods. She looks to her father after grinning at her mother, and her eyes light up. "Hi, Daddy! I slept all through the night without waking up."

The mother and father exchange tired glances, in a knowing manner. They hate resorting to such methods, but there is no other option any more. "I'm glad to hear that, Aurora. Let's listen to the news today, shall we?"

The young girl gives another nod, with a light smile. She turns her focus to the television, listening intently and taking in as much as she can about the news of today.

The news reporter continues on, announcing that today's curfew will be extended until 10pm, to allow extra time for a special event at the factory. "And in other news, today marks twenty years since the opening of Rainbow Factory. Ah, I remember being a young filly myself, and watching the grand opening of such a spectacular factory..." She seems to become nostalgic, showing true emotions for the first time.

The mother tries not to glare too hard at the television, not wanting to catch her daughter's attention. She silently growls at the ridiculous notion of the factory being 'spectacular'.

"To celebrate Rainbow Factory's twenty-year anniversary, our renowned, wonderful owners are opening the doors to all young fillies for an exclusive tour of the factory. That includes earth ponies and unicorns; some special magical systems have been set in place to accommodate the needs of all attending. Our young fillies of today are the future of our Factory, and we're so excited to meet every single one of you."

Though Aurora looks at the television in awe and excitement, her parents can feel a new wave of fear wash over their bodies. The factory will be opening its doors to not just pegasus ponies, but soon all ponies from all walks of life will be pushed into this business. And to parents and grandparents alike, this new regime is truly terrifying. And Aurora's excitement breaks her parents' hearts, for she will never know the truth.

The future is starting right now. And once control is gained over earth ponies and unicorns, things are only going to get worse in the land of Equestria. Nothing, and no one, will be able to save them.


End file.
